Americans in Sydney watch and wait

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Election fever ... John Kerry supporters watch the results come in from the US at Bar Broadway in Sydney.Photo: Dallas Kilponen

American Democrats provided the liveliest election party in
Australia, although the Republicans thought they had more to smile
about last night.

The Democrats are better organised as a group in this country.
Of more than 50,000 United States citizens, more than 5000 were
registered Democrats.

The preference for John Kerry was reflected in the US
consulate's bipartisan election watch party at The Rocks, which
included hot dogs and Budweiser beer.

But true feelings were revealed by the online voting system
installed for the event. By 2pm, more than 70 per cent of the
consulate officials, expatriate businesspeople, NSW politicians and
journalists were hoping for a Kerry presidency.

The party's mood softened by the hour and most guests left
before mid-afternoon. At the consulate's function in Melbourne, the
result was similar, with 65 per cent choosing the Democratic
challenger.

A good few guests from the Sydney consulate party adjourned to
the Democrats Abroad Australia election watch gathering at Bar
Broadway, which was still going late last night.

Although the crowd had grown subdued, the die-hards were hoping
Senator Kerry could snatch Ohio and pull off what had seemed an
impossible victory.

Close to 400 people had attended by late last night, watching
American television coverage in a room decorated with streamers and
Kerry posters.

Cheers rang out when the Democrats took Pennsylvania. Carmelan
Polce, a banker living in Sydney who comes from Pennsylvania, said
she would not have gone home for Christmas if the Republicans had
won the state. She also said she didn't want to go back if George
Bush won, which means Ms Polce is likely to spend even more time
here.

Scott Forbes, a telecommunications engineer and the local
Democrats numbers man, said at 3.15pm: "All we need is Ohio or
Florida and John Kerry will be the next president."

Dr David Kennedy, of the University of NSW Faculty of Commerce
and Economics, who raised $40,000 in Australia for the Democrat
campaign, said many Americans regarded politics as Australians see
sport. He was "cautiously optimistic".

The news that CNN had called Florida for Mr Bush left the crowd
silent, but Mr Forbes said that, without Ohio, Senator Kerry would
have 264 electoral college votes to Mr Bush's 254. Whoever won Ohio
would win the presidency. The crowd cheered again.

The head of Republicans Abroad Australia, Penne Korth Peacock,
said last night Republicans had gathered in small groups. She was
celebrating with her husband, the former Australian foreign
minister Andrew Peacock. Besides, it was her birthday. Mr Peacock
said that the Prime Minister, John Howard, wanted a Bush victory.
So did he.